www.fastcompany.com: In a world of disposable everything, single-use plastics continue to reign supreme.
Every year, Americans generate about 42 million tons of it. And yet only 9% of that gets recycled, in part because the recycling infrastructure in the U.S. can’t keep up with the country’s plastic production, but also because some plastics simply can’t be recycled.
7 comments:
This is a fascinating startup, however one thing I find strange is that I have heard of so many startups where the business was meant to create building materials or some other useful product out of trash that is usually made of plastic and yet I never hear about the businesses once they move past the startup phase. I wonder if many of them disappear before becoming more powerful conglomerates. That also raises the question of why they would disappear which interests me. I also had to wonder why this article was included in the CMU theater blog. I wonder if a recycled material like this would be useful in the theater, we are having a wood shortage right now after all. This material obviously is not as versatile as wood, but I think it could be made use of depending on how dense and heavy it is. Perhaps as a foundational set piece or even in the construction of new theaters.
This start-up is impressive, I think what they’re doing is really cool. I don’t think that it is enough but what this company does that is different from what other companies have tried in the past is how easy they make it to recycle. No cleaning or sorting required is a lot more convenient and likely produces a lot less waste (their claim being zero). It was interesting to see how well these bricks blend in once they’re painted. I hope that this start-up gets off the ground enough to create some real impact. Many of the companies that have tried to do something similar kind of fall off and disappear. Bricks like this could be used for anything but I think a few of the best ideas would be; housing for the homeless, rest stops, shelters, apartment buildings, etc. Because the material being used to make the bricks– plastic, is so abundant, using it in buildings where cutting costs would directly have a positive effect on people’s lives is important.
I remember a while ago, I was reading articles about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and immediately I began daydreaming about how all this unrecyclable plastic could possibly be used. While I have seen lots of inventions on how to curb plastic use such as paper straws, edible utensils, and much more, all of this doesn’t necessarily lessen carbon footprints; which is another very important issue often grouped with lessening plastic use. I absolutely love the idea of using plastic within construction, and was actually quite surprised that nobody had been doing that beforehand. I absolutely love ByFusion’s idea of creating solid plastic blocks for building, especially because in some ways they are actually better then concrete blocks. For me I can think of many different uses for these blocks given that they are 10 pounds lighter and more resistant then concrete blocks. The only this I would be worried about is how intense sun would affect the blocks, because there are lots of nasty chemicals in plastic and you wouldn’t want that seeping out due to heat from outside. I also love that you can easily put molding, paneling, and what ever else right over it meaning, it can be used on a variety of projects.
THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY COOL. Finding ways to live more sustainability is always a goal of mine. One of the biggest struggles I have had is in regards to being unable to avoid materials that do not recycle. Being in a college environment, and on a meal plan, I do not have control over the way food is being provided for me. While some food comes in biodegradable boxes, an equal amount I have to throw away into the landfill. It is very exciting to see new ways that we get repurpose this non-recyclable and non-degradable trash. What I find most intriguing about this is that it also provides opportunities to not use other materials in construction, as the block will take its place. It is also a practical solution. The only problem, right now, is money, as the blocks are expensive. Hopefully people will learn that saving our planet is worth the money.
For all of the plastic waste the United States produces, this is a great step in the right direction and I fully believe in and support organizations and startups to do their part in fixing our climate crisis. But, if only we could push mega giant corporations to stop polluting our ozones or actually care about the environment instead of how much money they can make, then I don't believe we stand a chance in helping ourselves or our future generations. It's totally not fair and it feels helpless to ask these companies to stop making money in the name of what's right for the world and it just sucks to think that it will literally not even stop them from giving a shit about our planet dying. So yeah, the idea of fully taking any kind of plastic and fusing it with net zero waste and repurposing it makes me slightly hopeful, but I won't hold my breath.
I heard of this company years ago and am glad to hear it is doing well. I love the idea that a city doesn’t export the plastic it produces and instead makes building blocks. This also eliminates the confusion and effort that goes into traditional recycling. So often I hear the excuse of some people not wanting to rinse out containers or not knowing what number it is, so repurposing the plastic avoids these issues entirely. It’s not impossible to get consumers to recycle: the town of Tiverton, Rhode Island will not pick up your trash unless you also have the recycling bins out. I love that it enables consumers to repurpose single use plastics especially since single use plastics have become much more prevalent during the pandemic. This also helps ease consumer anxiety by knowing that the plastic will actually be repurposed instead of ending up in landfills or the ocean.
I love this idea. It is so great to see a great option for plastic recycling, but also a choice that uses material that is typically unable to be reused. The following statistic: “Every year, Americans generate about 42 million tons of plastics. And yet only 9% of that gets recycled” has really stuck with me. I believe it sticks with me because I didn’t know it sooner and feel as though I should have. I never really consider how much of the things we put out to recycling are actually recycled. Moreover, and I know this sounds odd, I am shocked at how cute the colors and patterns in the brick are. I was simply not expecting that. The thought of someone inhabiting my wasted plastic is like comparable to be an organ dinner. Yes, that’s extreme but I love that the article has an example of grand and small scale productions.
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